Archived press release

18 offshore wind farms unveiled

5 April 2001

Thousands of New Jobs As Green Power Market Takes-off
Friends of the Earth today warmly welcomed proposals for eighteen new offshore wind farms. The Crown Estate - the body that owns the UK territorial sea-bed - this morning announced initial backing for each of the projects. Developers involved may now begin public consultations and seek official consent from the Government. From October this year all electricity companies will have a legal obligation to supply an increasing proportion of power from renewable sources.

Between them the 18 projects, most of which are around four to five miles from the shoreline, will:

• provide enough electricity to power more than one million homes;

• create at least 8,000 new jobs;

• cut emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, by over 4 million tonnes.

Friends of the Earth expects each project to have around 30 turbines, each approximately 200 feet tall but barely visible from the shore. Total capital investment at each site will be around £90 million and across all sites around £1.6 billion.

Mark Johnston, Climate Campaigner at Friends of the Earth said:
“This is the dawn of new era in energy and the beginning of a major new UK industry. At long last wind energy's massive potential is being matched by the ambition and financial capital of major British companies. The employment opportunity, already at least 8,000 jobs, could increase further if the UK can attract one of the main turbines suppliers to manufacturers here.

These projects will also make a major contribution to cutting the pollution from fossil fuels, the major cause of climate change. It will also ease the growing volume of radioactive waste. This demonstrates to the rest of the world, and especially to the President Bush in the White House, that the UK is able and willing to fulfil its international obligations on tackling dangerous climate change.

FOE is calling on all General Election candidates to back a 20% target for reducing CO2 by 2010 (on 1990 levels) emissions as one of 5 key environmental targets for the next Parliament.

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust